Feed for knitting machines



Oct.`23, 1934. D. J. MAYER y FED FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR ,a/fzzel JM ef;

BY @y ATTORNEY oct. 23,Y 1934.

' D. J. MAYER 1,977,686 E FEED FOR KITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1933 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 23, 1934 .UNITED STATES 1,977,686 l FEED Fon KNITTING MACHINES Y Daniel J. Mayer, Belleville, N. J., assignor to Metal Textile Corporation, West Orange, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application February 8, 1933, Serial No. 655,714 s claims. (C1. s6-132) This invention relates to improvements in machinery; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel means for feeding the filament or strand to be knitted to the knitting needles of .the machine. I

One of the difficulties inherent in the art of machine knitting of filaments or strands, especially when the lattercomprise metallic wire or ribbon, is the sudden stress exerted upon the material by the downward looping strokes of the knitting needles, which frequently results in breakage of the filament or lstrand due to the inertia of the supply spool from which the latter is drawn. This tendency is increased where the supply spools carry a comparatively large supply of material, and are consequently of considerable weight. Among other things, it'is anobject of this invention to overcome such difficulties; and, to this end, this invention provides a novel self-compensating feed mechanism calculated to relieve the strand or filament to be knitted from breaking strains and stresses as it passes to and is manipulated by the needles, while at the same time permitting the use of supply spools of comparatively large capacity.

With the stated objects in view, the invention comprises broadly a feed wheel around which the filament or strand is snubbed at a point intermediate the supply spool and the machine needles, in combination with means for driving the same at a surface speed slightly exceeding the normal linear speed at which the filament or strand moves to the knitting needles, whereby the downward looping strokes of the needles tend to momentarily tighten the snubbed portion of the fed filament or strand on the feed wheel with a gradual rather than an abrupt pulling effect, so that the friction grip of the feed wheel upon the filament or strand takes up the strain of with- 40 drawing the latter from the supply spool; this action being of a self-compensating nature whereby less filament or strand is withdrawn from the spool when the filament or strand is relaxed and more filament or strand is positively drawn from the spool when the tension of the filament or strand tends to increase.

In the machine knitting of` metallic Wire or ribbon, it has heretofore been necessary to lubricate the filament or strand thereof by the application of oil or grease to its surfaces, the presence of which in the finished product is undesirable; this invention, by the improved feeding means involved, satisfies another object of the invention, viz., the avoidance of necessity for using such lubrication.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is 6l A shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. l is a top-plan view, in part, of a circular knitting machine equipped with the novel feed mechanism according to this invention; Fig. 2 is 65 a vertical section, taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section, taken on line 3 3 in Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to said drawings. the invention is shown as operatively applied to one form of circular knitting machine. As shown, the machine comprises a base 5, which is usually supported upon legs or a suitable framework (not shown). Formed in said base is a central opening in which is disposed the vertical needle cylinder 6, which, if desired, may be arranged and supported subject to vertical adjustment. Provided in and around the exterior side of said needle cylinder 6 are a plurality of suitably spaced knitting needles '7 which are vertically movable in the guide channels or grooves 8 formed in the needle cylinder 6.

Formed in the top side of said base 5 is a bear- 35 ing recess 9 concentric to the vertical axis of Y said needle cylinder 6. Mounted toturn in said bearing recess 9, and about the needle cylinder 6, is a rotatable ring 10, which is driven from the drive-shaft 11 by a pinion 12 adapted to mesh 90 with the bevel gear teeth 13 with which the underside of said rotatable ring 10 is provided. Said ring 10 is provided at its inner periphery with an upstanding annular fiange 14 to which is suitably secured the needle-raising and rest cam. means 15 of the machine. Afiixed upon said rotatable ring 10 is a cam ring 16, whichis preferably of the usual sectional form. Suitably aflixed to the interior face of said cam ring 16 is the needle stitch cam means `17 of the machine. 100 The needles 7 are provided with the usual outwardly extending angular projections or foot portions 18 which are operatively engaged by the stitch and needle raising and rest cam means to effect the timed operative strokes of the needles in the usual manner.

The novel feed means accordingto this invention is carried by the rotating mechanism of the machine so as to travel therewith around the needle cylinder 6 and the needles 7 supported 11o thereby. In the drawings, and for the purpose of simplifying the illustration of the invention, but a single feed means is shown as adapted for a single feed machine. It will be obvious, however, that for a multiple feed machine, the stitch and needle raising and rest cam means will be multiplied according to the -number of feeds employed, and likewise the number of feed means will be correspondingly increased. The novel feed means comprises a bracket-arm 19 pivotally carried by the rotatable ring 10 by means of a fulcrum post 20 threaded into the latter, or by any other suitable form and construction of pivotal mounting. The outer free end of said bracket-arm 19 extends angularly outward from the rotatable ring 10 over the base 5 of the machine. At the outer end of said bracket-arm, the same is provided with a vertical bearing portion 21, terminating at its upper end in an off-set head 22. Journaled in said bearing portion 21 is a vertical drive shaft 23 upon the lower end of Which is affixed a drive wheel 24, the periphery of which is provided with a tread 25 of some suitable friction material, such as rubber, asbestos fabric or the like. Secured to the exterior periphery of the base 5 is an upstanding annular traction ring or fiange 26 against which the drive wheel 24 is pressed so as to be rotated, when moved around the surface thereof. In order to tensionally hold the drive wheel 24 in operative frictional engagement with said traction ring or ange 26, a suitable spring means 27 is provided, the elastic free outer end portion of which presses with outwardly swinging pressure upon the bearing portion 2l, whereby the bracket-arm 19 is outwardly swung to contact the drive wheel 2li with the traction ring or fiange 26. The inner end of said spring means 27 is suitably anchored, as, for example, to the fulcrum post 20 about which said bracket-arm 19 swings. Secured to the upper end of said vertical drive shaft 23 is a driving bevel gear 28. Secured to the off-set head 22 of the bearing portion 21 is the standard 29 of a horizontal bearing arm 30. Fixedin said bearing arm 30 is a horizontal stub shaft 31 extending above the driving bevel gear 28. Rotatably mounted on the free end of said stub shaft 3l is a driven bevel gear 32, which meshes With and is driven by said driving bevel gear 28. Fixed in connection with said driven bevel gear 32, so as to rotate therewith, is a anged feed wheel 33.

Carried by the rotatable mechanism of the-machine, so as to accompany the movement thereof, is a supply spool supporting means arranged in juxtaposition relative to the driven feed wheel 33. This means comprises a suitable standard 34 having a foot-piece 34 whereby the same can be suitably secured to the cam ring 16. Extending from said standard 34 is an axle shaft 35 upon which is rotatably supported a spool 36 carrying a supply of filament or strand 37 to be fed to the machine and knitted. A suitable keeper yoke 38 is provided to hold said spool 36 on the axle shaft. Pivotally mounted on said standard 34 above the spool 36 is a tension arm 39 held under yieldable tension by a spring 40 connected with one end thereof. At the other end of said tension arm 39 is rotatably supported 'a pulley wheel 41 over which 'the filament or strand 37 runs from said spool. From the pulley wheel 41, the filament or strand 37 passes to the feed wheel 33 around which it is snubbed by one or more turns. From the feed Wheel 33, the filament or strand 37 passes through a guide eye 42 which is carried by a supporting bracket 43 attached to the foot piece 35 of the standard 34, or otherwise aixed to the rotating mechanism of the machine. From the guide eye 42, the filament or strand 37 extends to the up-raised needles 7 of the machine, subject to operative engagement thereby in the performance of the knitting operations. Intermediate the feed-Wheel 33 and said guide eye 42 a tensional take-up means is arranged, which in one form comprises a spring arm 44 suitably anchored to the standard 34, and having an eyelet 45 at its free end through which the filament or strand 37 extends.

It will be obvious that the supply spool support and filament or strand guiding and tensioning means may be variously modified in form and construction, the above-described structure thereof being, within the broader aspects of this invention, merely illustrative.

In the operation of the machine, the driving transmission for the feed wheel 33 is so calculated and arranged as to rotate the feed wheel at a consistent surface speed slightly in excess of the normal or average linear speed of the filament or strand 37 as governed by the consumption thereof during the knitting operations. On the downward looping stroke of a machine needle 7, the pull effective upon the filament or strand 37 tends to tighten the coils thereof snubbed about the feed wheel 33, thereby causing the latter to momentarily frictionally grip the same so that the feed wheel immediately takes up the strain and stress of drawing the filament or strand off of the supply spool 36. When this occurs, owing to the slightly excessive speed of the feed wheel, the tension on the filament or strand, between the latter and the effective knitting needles is appreciably relaxed by the tendency of the feed wheel to slightly overfeed the lament or strand extending between the same and the needles. The slack due to this overfeed is taken up by the tensional takeup means 44-45, so that the filament or strand, while relieved of excessive strain tending to risk of breakage, is, nevertheless, held sufficiently tight to be effectively engaged by the needles. If the relaxation of the filament or strand tends to become excessive, the snubbing thereof around the feed wheel 33 loosens suiiiciently to permit slip of the latter, until excessive slack is eliminated, whereupon the above described operations repeat themselves.

It will be thus apparent that a self-compensating controlled feed of the filament or strand from the supply spool to the machine needles is afforded, whereby not only are the stresses and strains involving risk of breakage eliminated, but the needles are relieved from the major portion of the work of pulling the filament or strand from the-supply spool, and consequently heavier spools with larger capacity may be employed than is commonly possible. Owing vto the controlled feed of the filament or strand in the manner and by the means above described, it has been found that necessity for oiling or greasing the filament or strand preparatory to the knitting manipulation thereof by the machine needles may be avoided.

I am aware that many changes could be made and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, and consequently it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

liti

said feed-wheel takes up the strain of drawing.

said strand from the source of supply, means to drive said feed wheel at a speed somewhat exceeding the rate of consumption of said strand by the knitting operation of the needles, and a tensional take-up means between said feed-wheel and guide means.

2. In combination with a knitting machine of a feed-wheel about which a lament'to be knitted is snubbed, whereby excess nmning tension occurring with respect tothe lament momentarily ,tightens to latter upon said feed wheel so that the wheel takes up the strain of drawing the lament from a source of supply, and means to drive said feed-wheel at a surfacespeed somewhatgexceeding the rate of movement of thelament to the machine as governed bythe lknitting operation o1' the later.

3. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a base, a needle cylindersupported bysaid base, vertically reciprocable needles mounted on said cylinder, a rotatable member having cam means to actuate said needles, a feed-wheel about which a filament extending from a source of supply to said needles is snubbed, so that the latter may be tightened thereon under the pull of the stitch forming strokes of the needles whereby said feed-wheel takes up the strain of drawing said filament from the source of supply, means to.

support said feed-wheel on said rotatable member, and means to drive said feed-wheel at a surface speed somewhat exceeding the rate of movement of the filament to the machine as governed by the knitting operation of said needles.A

4. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a base, 'a needle cylinder supported by said base, vertically reciprocable needles mounted on said cylinder, a rotatable member having cam means to actuate said needles, a feed-wheel about which a filament extending from a source of supply to said needles is snubbed, so that the latter may be tightened thereon under the pull of the4 stitch forming strokes of the needles whereby said feed-wheel vtakes up the strain of drawing said filament from the source of supply, means 'tosupport said feed-wheel on said rotatable member; means to drive said feed-wheel at a surface speed somewhat exceeding the rate of movement of the filament to the machine as governed by the knitting operation of said needls, a guide means to lead said filament /from saidA feed-wheel to the needles, and a tensional take-up means between said feed-wheel and guide means.

5. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a base, a needle cylinder supported by said base, vertically reciprocable -needles mounted on said cylinder, arotatable member having cam means to actuate said needles, a fixed traction means in connection with said base concentric to said rotatable member, a feed-wheel about which a filament extending from a source of supply to I' said needles is snubbed, a bracket-arm mounted in connection with said rotatable member and in connection with which said feed-wheel is supported, a drive shaft journaled in the free end of said bracket-arm, a drive wheel on said shaft to frictionally engage and ride on said traction means. and transmission means actuated by said shaft to drive said feed wheel.

6. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a base, a needle cylinder supported by said base, vertically reciprocable needles'mounted on said cylinder, a rotatable member having cam means to actuate said needles, a ixed traction means in connection with said base concentric to said rotatable member, a feed-wheel about which a 'filament extending from a source of supply to said needles is snubbed, a bracket-arm mounted in connection with said rotatable :member and in connection with which said feed-wheel is supported, a drive shaft journaled in said bracket-arm, a drive wheel on said shaft to frictionally engage and ride on said traction means, transmission means actuated by said shaft to drive said feed-wheel, a guide. means to lead said filament from said feed- Wheel to the needles, and a tensional take-up means between said feed-wheel and guide means.

7. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a base, a needle cylinder supported by said base, vertically reciprocable needles mounted on said cylinder, a rotatable member having cam means to actuate said needles, an up-standing traction flange in connection with said base and concentric to said rotatable member, a bracketarmipivotally mounted by one end in connection with said rotatable member, a vertical bearing means at the opposite free end of said bracketarm, a drive shaft journaled in said bearing means, a drive-wheel on said shaft to frictionallyengage and ride on said traction ian'ge, spring means engaging said bracket-arm for thrusting the same to hold said drive wheel in operative contact with said. traction flange, a bearing frame also carried by said bracket-arm, a shaft supported by said frame, a feed-wheel on said latter shaft about which a filament extending from a source of supply to said needles is snubbed,4 and transmission means actuated by said drive shaft for rotating Said feed-wheel.

8. In a circular knitting machine, in combinav tion, a base, a needle cylinder supported by said base, vertically reciprocable needles mounted on said cylinder, a rotatable member having cam means vto actuate said needles, an up-standing traction ange in connection with said base and concentric to said rotatable member, a bracket- V arm pivotally mounted by one end in connection with said rotatable member, a vertical bearing means at the opposite free endof said bracket. arm, a drive shaft ljournalecl in said vbearingA means, agdrive wheel on said shaft to frictionally engage and ride on said traction flange, spring means engaging said bracket-arm for thrusting the same tohold said drive wheel in operative contact with said traction ange, a bearing frame also carried by said bracket-arm, a shaft supported by said frame, a feed-wheel on said latter shaft about which a filament extending from a source of supply to said needles is snubbed, transmission meansactuated by said drive shaft for rotating said feed-wheel, a guide means to lead said filament from said feed-wheel to the needles,f and a tensional take-up means between said' feedwheel and guide means.

- DANIEL J. MAYER. 

